Child care back on Blacktown Council agenda

BLACKTOWN Council's future in the childcare industry (pictured) may be in doubt once again.

Mayor Len Robinson has called for a special policy meeting tomorrow night (April 2), when councillors will be asked to consider three options.

The first option is to maintain current services and seek to improve them through differential fees and school readiness programs.

The second is to close "a defined number of services" as proposed by independent consultants MacroPlanDimasi or though another assessment process.

The third is for council officers to start investigations into leasing some or all of council-run centres to the private sector.

Independent Russ Dickens and Liberals Walter Smith and Mark Holmes crossed the floor at an extraordinary meeting in November for the council to remain in childcare while more reports were being compiled.

Labor's Edmond Atalla said the council must remain in childcare and that no centre should be closed or privatised.

He believed centres under threat be saved through consultation with staff and the United Services Union.